Draco's Hope
by Carlisle Cullen x.x
Summary: Draco admits his feelings to Harry, a year after the Battle of Hogwarts. One-Shot


Harry had taken Ginny's death during the Battle of Hogwarts rather hard, which was understandable, given that Harry had seen himself marrying the youngest Weasley one day and starting a family. Neither Ron or Hermione had been able to bring Harry out of his sorrow. It had been one year to the day since Lord Voldemort had been banished once and for all, when Harry received an owl – but not from just any owl – an Eagle Owl. He knew straightaway to whom the creature belonged.

It landed on the table of his study, flying through the open window of his parent's former home in Godric Hollow, which was now his. Harry had refurbished it, and today, he lived where it all began. The owl held itself with a regality that suited an animal of its grace and stature, and Harry untied the letter from the owl's leg. As he had suspected, it was from Draco Malfoy.

"_Harry,_

_I kindly request that you accept my invitation for a drink in Hogsmeade at the Three Broomsticks while you are in the area for your upcoming lecture to the new students at Hogwarts. I, too, will be in the area, and there is some pressing business that I would like to discuss with you._

_Regards,_

_Draco Malfoy_"

A week later Harry was sitting in the Three Broomsticks at a corner table near a window. He was lost in thought when out of the corner of his eye he saw a flash of slicked-back blonde hair. Draco was standing at the table, blue eyes flashing with excitement mixed with anxiety.

"May I sit?" he asked.

"Sure, I suppose," said Harry, regarding Draco suspiciously.

Draco already had a glass of brandy in his hand and he set it on the table once he took his seat. Sighing softly, he was now the one looking out the window, while Harry studied his face.

"Go on, what is it? You should feel lucky I even agreed to meet you," said Harry a bit crossly.

"I do feel lucky. Very lucky," Draco murmured, which made Harry raise an eyebrow.

"Do you know why, when you had been captured and taken to my father's manor, I made the decision not to identify you to my parents and Bellatrix?"

"I always assumed it was because . . . I don't know, you discovered some decent part of yourself beneath the nastiness," said Harry with a small, dark chuckle.

"Not exactly, Harry. It was the first time I truly knew – or thought at the time – that you were a few minutes short of death. During the Triwizard Tournament, in the Chamber of Secrets, at the Department of Mysteries all those years ago, I had never been an active participant in leading you to your demise. Even though I disliked you, I knew you had luck. All the other times, too, I was not involved. I was remote. But then, at the manor, I knew I would be the cause of your death if I revealed you, and I couldn't bear it. For reasons which you would be stunned to hear," Draco said quietly, turning to look at Harry.

"And those reasons would be . . . ?" asked Harry a bit impatiently.

"Because by that time, I had grown to love you," said Draco firmly, resolutely.

"Blimey Draco, is this some sort of . . . confession?" asked Harry, eyes wide, truly stunned as Draco assumed he would be.

"Actually, yes," said Draco. "I know you are heterosexual, and I know my abuse towards you over the years would never allow you to have any romantic feelings towards me even if you were of my persuasion. But, I wanted you to know. At first, I hated you. But then my hate turned to envy as the years went by – but not for your fame. I envied the qualities in you which I didn't have; the courage, the kinship, the kindness, the humor. Then, later, that envy turned to admiration – only after Dumbledore's death, during the following year of turmoil. I began to reflect, and I found that deep within myself was a love for you, surprisingly tender, and that it's source was my newfound admiration for your virtue. "

Harry was slack-jawed, and Draco stiffened visibly. He didn't know what to expect. Harry pulled himself together, shaking his head and wiping sweat off his brow with the palm of his hand.

"That's a lot to take in," said Harry in a tone of wonder.

They both sat, silent, sipping their drinks. Words were not necessary at the moment, and Draco knew Harry needed time to process this information. Draco lit a cigarette – made of particular herbs unique to the wizarding world – and blue, slightly shimmering smoke framed his face as he stared at Harry, while Harry looked down at the table.

"I can't be your lover, Draco. You know that. But I do think I can be your friend. Ron and Hermione, despite our closeness, are beginning to build a life for themselves. I'm alone, you're alone – as I've heard you don't associate with your parents anymore. Maybe we can spend some time together," said Harry with a small smile. "Get to know one another. I don't know how chummy we'll get, but I'm in need of some company, and I know you are too," said Harry with a gentle smile.

Draco bit his lower lip, closing his eyes, inhaling deeply and then exhaling a sigh of relief.

"That's all I wanted, really, Harry. I knew something romantic wasn't a possibility, but I would willingly go through every trial you have had to endure in your life to be able to count you as a friend," Draco smiled, and his eyes were moist, sparkling, but he kept himself from allowing that moisture to form into tears.

"Don't get all soppy on me, Malfoy. If you were going to do that we should have gone to Madame Puddifoot's," chuckled Harry, reaching across the table to squeeze Malfoy's shoulder.

"Mates, then?" smiled Harry.

"Mates," said Draco with a firm nod, looking forward to the start of what might possibly be the first true friendship he had ever experienced in life. Crabbe had not been a real friend. Goyle had not been a real friend. Blaiaw had not been a friend. But Harry? Maybe Harry could help fill his void, and perhaps Harry could teach him what it was to love – that powerful, indestructible magic that saved Harry's life, and was about to help Draco start a new one.


End file.
